Buzz
On April 13, 2017, the U.S. dropped its first MOAB bomb on a mountainous area in Afghanistan, where ISIS fighters were believed to be hiding. Defense.govWhen the U.S. deployed the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in its arsenal over Afghanistan in April 2017, it grabbed worldwide attention. The MOAB bomb, also known as the 'Mother of All Bombs,' made an impression, both physically and in the media. But how does this enormous weapon stack up against nuclear bombs? Let's dive into the details.
Understanding the MOAB Bomb
The MOAB bomb, formally called the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, is undoubtedly a formidable weapon. Weighing 21,000 pounds, it's crafted to produce a catastrophic explosion, primarily designed to target tunnel systems and fortified surface structures.
Conceived in the early 2000s at a Florida air base, the MOAB is built to detonate in mid-air, just above the ground (hence the 'A' in MOAB), creating shockwaves that travel across the surface rather than into the earth, with an effective range extending up to one mile (1.6 kilometers).
- Explosive Material: The bomb is packed with 18,700 pounds of H6, a potent mixture of RDX, TNT, and aluminum.
- Blast Radius: Its detonation can affect areas as far as one mile (1.5 kilometers), making it effective against a broad array of targets.
- Deployment: Due to its immense size, the MOAB is deployed from a C-130 military transport plane, guided by GPS and dropped via parachute.
"Such massive munitions can create a significant explosion, but they are not guaranteed to annihilate enemy combatants entrenched deep underground," writes Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, in the New York Times. "And even if they eliminate insurgents, they won't eliminate the insurgency."
In his New York Times opinion piece, Boot argues that deploying the MOAB signals a sense of desperation.
"When the enemy grows too powerful, as it did in Vietnam, it's then necessary to resort to air and artillery strikes," he writes. "That wasn't a sign of progress; it was actually a clear indication that the security situation was rapidly deteriorating."
MOAB vs. the Nuclear Bomb: A Comparative Analysis
At the time of its deployment, the MOAB was the largest non-nuclear weapon ever used in combat, though it still fell short when compared to nuclear bombs. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a devastating force equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT. Meanwhile, the MOAB's explosive power is around 11 tons. Additionally, hydrogen bombs (H-bombs) are far more powerful, with some tests showing them to be over 1,200 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb.
It’s important to remember that there are far more significant numbers to consider when discussing bombs and war. When dropped in August 1945, the atomic bomb on Hiroshima killed an estimated 90,000 to 160,000 people within the first few months. The Atomic Heritage Foundation notes that the death toll eventually surpassed 235,000, accounting for the lethal effects of radiation poisoning.
It's also crucial to remember that atomic bombs like the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are not the most powerful weapons humanity has created. Fusion bombs, or H-bombs (hydrogen bombs), are significantly more destructive.
How Atomic Bombs Function
Atomic bombs rely on fission, where the nucleus of an atom is split into two smaller parts with a neutron, triggering a catastrophic chain reaction. On the other hand, H-bombs use fusion, combining two smaller atoms to form a larger one, generating immense energy in a reaction akin to the processes occurring on the sun.
In March 1954, the U.S. conducted a test of an H-bomb known as Bravo. This bomb had a yield of nearly 15 megatons, which was about 1,200 times stronger than 'Little Boy,' the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The explosion left massive craters, more than half a mile wide and several hundred feet deep, near the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.
A man examines debris from a collapsed building in the Achin district of Afghanistan after the U.S. military dropped its most powerful non-nuclear bomb at the time.
Zabihullah Ghazi/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesThe Impact of Deploying the MOAB
The decision to deploy the MOAB in Afghanistan was met with some controversy. On April 13, 2017, the U.S. Air Force dropped one on a hilly area in Afghanistan to target a tunnel complex where ISIS forces were believed to be hiding. Some experts think it also served as a psychological tactic, aiming to demoralize ISIS and other militant groups in the region.
However, using such a powerful non-nuclear weapon brings up several concerns:
- Civilian Casualties: Although the U.S. military strives to minimize civilian casualties, the immense power of the MOAB means there's an inherent risk.
- Escalation: The use of such a weapon could be interpreted as an escalation, potentially leading adversaries to retaliate similarly.
- Military Strategy: Some experts, including Max Boot from the Council on Foreign Relations, argue that relying on such overwhelming ordnance might indicate a more complex security dilemma.
The Larger Context
The MOAB is a remarkable example of military innovation, but it's crucial to consider the larger consequences of warfare. Whether it's the MOAB, the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a bunker buster, or nuclear weapons, the ultimate objective must always be to seek peaceful resolutions and avoid conflict. The use of the MOAB in Afghanistan underscored that, despite advances in weaponry, the pursuit of truly humane methods for resolving conflicts remains an ongoing challenge.
The MOAB, due to its immense size, cannot be carried by standard bombers. Instead, it’s transported via a C-130 military plane, with a parachute system ensuring its precise delivery over the target area.
